Automatic type-writer operator.



BDBERTS AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 110120.1912.

Patented May 2,1916.

4 SHEETS- SHEET INVEINTOR:

QMJM

L. R. ROBERTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. l9l2.

Patented May 2,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR! WITNESSE3! zma ATTO NEY L. R. ROBERTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOVv Z0, $912.

ATTDR [Y Patented May 2, 1916.

4 SHEETS-"SHEET 3 ,Wnuses:

L. R. ROBERTS.

AUTOMATIC TYPE WRITER OPERATOR. APPLICATION FILED NOV/10, 1912.

1,181,958, Patented May 2,1916. v 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- FIG. 7.

kid

f i 'J\J INVENTOR! wmw g 6m? ATTOR 5v WITNESSES:

n ITED STATES PI LYMAN R. ROBERTS, OF RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO UNDERWOOD TYPE- XVRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE.

AUTOMATIC TYPE-WRITER OPERATOR.

Original application filed August 31. 1911. Serial No. 646.975.

Serial No. 732,460.

writers, and more especially means for feed-' ingwork members. such asenvelops to the platen. 'Io properly position work mem hers on theplaten. as each one is supplied thereto. it has been found desirable togive the platen several line-space movements in order to brine thedesired point on the work member to the printing point of thetypewriter. To do this a special platen rotating mechanism is providedin addition to the normal line-space mechanism. This platen rotatingmechanism is controlled at a tracker or tracl er-bmird by a perforatedmaster member. The platen rotatin; mechanisn'i is shown in this case inthe form, of a ratchet wheel secured on the platen axle and driven by apawl to rotate the platen. The pawl is mounted on a lever provided witha oller. which. when the carriage is in its starting position at thebeginning of a line. underlies an arm which may be swung by a pneumaticactuator when a certain perforation in the master sheet comes intoregister with correspond ing aperture in the tracker-board. V The extent of movement of the pawl. andthus the extent of rotation of theplaten. may be adjustably limited by a locking detent which is forcedinto engagement with another ratchet wheel on the platen axle.

The. broad purpose of the invention may be. considered to include..among other thing's. the idea of using a plurality of differentline-space mechanisms for the platen, which line-space mechanisms may becontrolled from different points. and arranged so that-the differentpoints of control may be brought selectively into action.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 31:132. 1916.

Divided and this application filed November In the accompanyingdrawings. Figure 1 IS a fragmentary sectional view. showing such of theparts as are necessary to illustate the present invention in connectionwith a typewriter. Fig. '3 is a fragmentary perspective view. showingcertain details of the special platen rotating mechanism. Fig. 3 is anenlarged detail section of one of the pneumatic controls. showing therelation of the primary and secondary pneumatics thereof. Fig. 1 is afragmentary top plan view. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail top plan view ofthe special platen rotating mechanism. Fig. (i is a view in elevation ofthe parts shown at Fig. Fig. 7 is a skeleton detail view. showing themeans whereby the active control is shifted from one master sheet to theother. Fig. 3 is a detail view. showing the means for actuating thenormal line space mechanism. Fig. 9 is a reduced fragmentary perspectiveview of the two master sheets. Fig. 10 is a detail view in sideelevation showing the normal line-space, mechanism for the platen.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of this inventioi'n'asembodied in the form shown in the drawings. 1 indicates a. dottedoutline of a typewriter, which is to b actuated by a typewriter ope'atorindicated in general at 2.

In illustrating. this invention. the typewriter 1 is shown to be of theusual Underwood type. and is provided with a carriage 2 mounted to runon ways on the frame of the typewriter. and having a platen 3 rotatablymounted in the usual manner. To be specific. the platen i is providedwith an axle or shaft 4. which is journaled in the carriage i of themachine 'Land extends to one side at 5 where it is provided with theusual line-space wheel 150, which is oper ated through the intermediaryof a slide and pawl 151 by the usual line-space lever (3 forming anormal -linespace mechanism adapted to give a rotation to the platen 3of one or more line-spaces according to the particular adjustment ofthis line-space mechanism. This particular line space mechanism may be.of any suitable. type. and in this instance indicates that generally inuse on Underwood typewriters. In this case. inasmuch as the typewriteris not to be operated by hand. but by a mechanical operator. means must.be provided for actuating the line-space lever 6 to produce :1 normalline-space operation between the writing of two'lines. For this purposethere is.

provided a connector 7 having an arm 8 with a slot 9 therein to engageover-an upstanding finger- 10 on the line-space lever 6.

This connector 7 is arranged to be broughtinto engagement with acontinuously driven member 11, shown in the form on screw rotating infixed bearings. I

The connector 7 is provided with a half nut 12 which, when the connector7 is properly swung, comes into engagement with theof the connector 7with the screw 11 is continued, not only will-a line-space action takeplace, but the carriage 2 will be returned toward its starting positionfor the begin ning of a line.

The'connector 7 is pivotally mounted on a rod 13, so as to swing aboutthis rod as a pivot and yet travel along the same. The connector 7 isalso mounted so as to slide along a rod 14 and still be connected tothis rod so that when the rod is moved bodily, the connector 7 will beswung about the rod 13 as a. pivot. The rod 14-is supported on a pair ofarms 15 and 16, so that it can be swung back and forth. The rod 14 andthe arms supporting the same are normally held by the weight of theparts in a position corresponding to a position of the connector 7, suchthat the half nut thereon will be out of engagement with the screw 11.

In order to bring the connector 7 in opera: tive engagement with thescrew 11, there 15.

provided a plunger 18 slidingly supported on a rod 19, so that the endthereof is held adjacent to the rod 14. The plunger 18 -is pivotallyconnected to a bell crank 20, so as to be actuated bythe latter. Thisbell crank 20 is in turn actuated through the intermediary of a link 21,by a pneumatic actuator 22. The pneumatic actuator 22 is shown tocomprise a motor 23 and a pneumatic control 24, which in turn comprisesa primary pneumatic 25 and a secondary pneumatic 26. The primarypneumatic 25 is connected by a pipe 27 and branch pipes 28 and 29 to apair of trackers or tracker-boards 30 and 31.

The trackers 30 and 31 are normally covforward and engage the rod 14,forcing it to such a position that the connector 7 will be swung aboutits pivot rod 13 bringing the half nut thereon into engagement with thescrew 11.

The details of the pneumatic control which enables this action will beseen by reference to Fig. 3. The air admitted at the tracker comes intotheprimary pneumatic through the pipe 27, so that this air comes into achamber 34 always connected to a suction chamber ,35 by a bleed hole 36in a diaphragm 37. The vacuum or suction chamber 35 is normally keptunder a subatmospheric pressure by a vacuum pump 38 (see Fig. 1), whichis connected thereto by a pipe 39 and is driven by any suitable form ofa motor indicated at 40. The aip admitted through the pipe 27 when thelatter is opened by a perforation in the master sheet, comes into thechamber 34 at a greater rate than it can pass out through the smallbleed opening 36, producing an unbalanced pressure on the diaphragm 37so that the diaphragm is raised carrying with it a valve stem 41 restingthereon. The valve stem 41 carries a valve 42 which, when the diaphragm37 is raised, will close an opening 43 in a partition 44 located betweenthe vacuumror suction chamber 35*and chamber 45. The valve stem 41also'carrie'sfanother valve 46, which uncovers an opening 47 permittingthe outside air to come into the chamber 45. The chamber 45 is connectedby a pipe 48 to a chamber 49 in the secondary pneumatic. This chamber 49is separated from'the chamber 35 by a diaphragm 51 and is normally undera subatmospheric pressure by being connected with the suction chamber 35through the intermediary of the pipe 48, the chamber 45 and the port 43.The diaphragm 51 will be raised by the air rushing-in the chamber 49, sothat it carries up with it a valve rod 52 supporting a valve 53. 53normally closes an opening 54 in a partition 55, which separates'thesuction chamber 35 from a chamber 56. The chamber 56 is connected by apipe 57 to the interior of the pneumatic motor 23, so that as soon asthe valve 53: is raised, this motor will be exposed to suction from thechamber 35 and the pump 38, causing it to collapse, and

thus actuate the plunger 18. The valve stem rod 52.

The valve Thus far it has been shown how the normal line-space mechanismcan be controlled in its actuation from either tracker-board and byeither master sheet. It now remains to be shown how the platen can berotated by a special line-space mechanism. which can be used independentof the normal line space mechanism. as in positioning a new work member.such as an envelop after it has been supplied to the platen. so as tobring the proper point thereon in apposition to the printing point ofthe typewriter for the beginning ot the printing oi an address thereon.To accomplish this end, the platen axle i has secured thereon a feedingratchet wheel (ll. A lever 62 is loosely mounted on the axle -i so as tobring a pawl 63, carried thereby, into engagement with the teeth oi theratchet wheel 61. This pawl 63 is forced by a spring 64 nto en gagementwith the ratchet wheel 61. so that it will rotate the latter in onedirection and yet be free to slip by the teeth of the ratchet wheel whenmoved in the other direction. The lever 62 is held in a normal raisedposition by a spring drum indicateil diagrammatically at 65. The lever62 is provided with a contact roller (36. which is so located that. whenthe carriage 2 is drawn to its extreme position to the right, that is toa position corresponding to the beginning of a line, it will underlie aprojection 67 on an arm 68. which is pivotallv mounted at 69 so as toswing down into engagement with the contact roller 66. hen the arm ()8is swung down. it will carry with it the lever 62 and thus cause thepawl (33 to ro tate the ratchet wheel (31 and therefore rotate theplaten 3. In order to limit the extent of this rotation so that theplaten will not be thrown beyond a predetermined point, there isprovided a locking detent lever 70 pivotally mounted at 71 and normallyheld in a raised position against a stop 72 by a spring 73. The detcntT0 is extended, however, to such a position that it will be engaged bythe lever (32 during its down ward movement, so that the detent 70 willalso be swung downwardly, during the final movement of the lever,bringing a tooth H on the detent into engagement with a locking ratchetwheel 75. also secured to the platen axle 4, but having its teeth facedin the opposite direction to the direction in which the teeth of thefeeding ratchet wheel 61 face. This will cause r. positive locking ofthe platen preventing it from rotating beyond a certain predeterminedextent with each actuation of the lever 62. The extent to which thelever 62 may move before coming into engagement with the detent 70 maybe varied by varying the position of a head 76 which is adjustablymounted on the de: tent 70, and so located that it will be the partfirst engaged by the lever 62.

The movements of the arm 1 trolled from one of the mast crably themaster sheet 2&2. the feeding of an envelop to To accomplish this thereis pr matic actuator T7. comprisirg u .H pneumatic motor TS, and apncu'math ortrol 79 having primary and sewn-wai ililt'i matics St) and81 respectiwly. The matic control T9 is similar in i the pneumaticcontro 24. are; mary pneumatic M connected or pipe 82 to thecorrespomiia the tracker lit).

\Vhen a certain pt i eration in th a sheet 32 comes into register \Yitil1 sponding aperture in the tracker r r i will be admitted to the prhaaz1 50, so as a) enable the interio TS to be connected to the exhan m-i 1;so that it will be collapsed to d: than 11 the arm 68 through the law alink 83.

'hen the master sheet iri is few 1.; enough to cover the aperture in theit 30, the motor 78 will be connected to mosphere and cut oil from thewe: ion 38 by the pneumatic control 5 m; 1 will be free to expand underthe pun tension spring 94, whicn at the same restores, through theintermediarv of link 83, the arm 68. E

in the embodiment shown in my any tion above mentioned, of which ti.vision, as already stated, the upper ma sheet 32 illustrated ascontrolling 11v supplying and placing of the Sliitfk iv= cu velops onthe platen, and the lower on: sheet 33 was shown as contr hing the \iring oi" the address on the: enveiop and the actuation of the normalline-space uh anism for linespaces between the serve typewritten linesof the address mastersheets, however, are not in act the same time, butare alternately hit" in play as each finishes its spccitic work Toaccomplish this, the master sheet i stretched across the face of ti" bymeans of a pair of rollers and so. one of which may be used to feed themasier sheet past the tracker. This done by n o viding on the roller agear 8? located so that a gear 88 can be brought in iaiwh therewith.This gear 88 is secured to a shaft 89 mounted on a rocker an.

ammy- The tr o which meshes with a gear 101 secured to a shaft 102, thelatter also forming a pivotal mounting for the rocker 99. The gears 92and 101 are continuously driven by a means not shown.

The rockers 90 and 99 are provided with upturned ends engaged by rollers103 and 104 mounted on the opposite ends of a shifting lever 105, whichis pivoted intermediate its ends as at 106. The shifting lever 105 is soarranged that when it is swung in one direction, it will swing therockers 90 and 99 so as to bring the gear 88 out of mesh with the gear87 and drop the gear 7 into mesh with the gear 90. as shown in Fig. 7,and so that when it is swung in the opposite direction, it will swingthe rockers 90 and 99 so as to bring gear 88 into mesh with the gear 87and force the gear 97 out of mesh with the gear 96. Inasmuch as thegears 88 and 97 are constantly driven. it will be seen by thisarrangement that the master sheets 32 and 33 can be alternately fed, butthat both of the master sheets cannot be fed at the same time.

In order to shift the lever 105 there is provided a pair of plungers,107 and 108, which are arranged in apposition respectively, to pins 109and 110 secured to the shifting lever 105 at opposite sides of itspivot. The plungers 107 and 108 are operated respectively by pneumaticactuators 111 and 112. These pneumatic actuators include pneumaticmotors 113 and 114 connected to bell cranks 115 and 116, which actuatethe plungers 107 and 108. These pneumatic actuators also includepneumatic controls 117 and 118 having the usual primary and secondarypneumatics. The pneumatic control 117 is connected to the tracker 31 bya pipe 119, and the pneumatic control 118 is connected to tracker 30 bya pipe 120. It will be seen that this is a cross connection so that thetracker 30 and the master sheet 32 control the throwing into operationof the tracker 31 and the master sheet 33 and vice versa. By thisarrangement the master sheets are alternately brought into action andthe one controls the bringing into action of the other. It will thus beseen that there are provided two separate and distinct mechanisms forrotating the platen, one.the normal line-space mechanism and a specialplaten spacin mechanism, which mechanisms may be in ividually controlledfi'om separate points, so that one means of rotating the platen can beused when the other is silent.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

.1. The combination, with typewriting the other mechanism, including aplaten; of two separate platen-rotating mechanisms, one for imparting asingle line-space movement, and the other for imparting amulti-linespace movement; and master-sheet mechanism for controlling theactuation of said platen-rotating mechanisms.

2. The combination, with typewriting mechanism, including a platen; oftwo separate master-sheet mechanisms; actuating mechanism therefor; aplaten-rotating mechanism controlled by one of said mastersheetmechanisms for imparting a multiline-space movement to said platen; anda separate platen-rotating mechanism controllable by either master-sheetmechanism for imparting a single line-space movement to said platen.

The combination, with typewriting mechanism, including a platen; of twoseparate platen-rotating mechanisms one for imparting a singleline-space movement, and the other for imparting a multi-linespacemovement; and two separate mastersheet mechanisms, one of whichsolelycontrols the actuation of one of said platenrotating mechanisms,and either of which may control' the actuation ofthe otherplaten-rotating mechanism.

4. The combination, with typewriting mechanism, including a platen; oftwo separate platen-rotating mechanisms, one for imparting a singleline-space movement, and the other for imparting a multi-linespacemovement; two separate master-sheet mechanisms, one of which solelycontrols the actuation of one of said platen-rotating A mechanisms, andeither of which may control the actuation of the other platen-rotatingmechanism; and means for shifting the control from either master sheetmechanism to the other.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of twoseparate linespacing mechanisms therefor, a pneumatic actuator for eachof said line-spacing mechanisms, a master sheet for controlling eachactuator, means for feeding the master sheets, and means for silencingone master sheet when the other is being fed.

6. The combination, with a platen; of a line-space device thereforcomprising a linespace lever; an actuator for said lever arranged tostrike thereagainst, but normally out of contact therewith; and"master-sheet mechanism for controlling the operation of said actuator.

7. The combination with a platen, of two different line-space mechanismsfor said platen, an individual actuator for each of said line-spacemechanisms, a master control set for each actuator, and means forshifting the control from one control set-to another control set; saidmeans including l, ii

driving connections for each control set, the shitting means adapted tobring only one driving connection into action at a time.

The combination with a platen, of a' line-space mechanism tor saidplaten including a line-space lever mounted to swing in a verticalplane. means for striking downwardly on said line-space lever to effecta line-space action of said mechanism, and an air motor for operatingsaid striking means.

9. The combination with a platen, of two distinct and separateline-space mechanisms for said platen. an individual actuator for (:Hllof said line-space mechanisms, a master control set for each actuator.said control sets being alternately active, and means tor shitting thecontrol from one control set to another control set. the shifting meansbeing adapted to bring one of the control sets into action at one time.

lit. The combination, with a rotary platen: of a device at one end ofsaid platen tor imparting a single line-space movement thereto: aseparate device at the other end of said platen for imparting amultidimespace movement thereto; and master sheet mechanism forcontrolling the actuation of said devices.

11. The combination, with a rotary platen: of a device at one end ofsaid platen tor ii'nparting a single line-space movement thereto; aseparate device at the otherend of said platen for imparting amulti-linespace movement thereto; an actuator individual to each of saiddevices; and mastershcet mechanism-for controlling the activity of saidactuators.

12. T he combination with a rotary platen and a line-space ratchet wheelconnected to rotate therewith, of a line-space lever, a pawl carriedthereby to engage said wheel and rotate the platen, a locking ratchetwheel having its teeth faced in the opposite direction from those of thefirstnamed wheel, a locking lever provided with a. detent to engage saidlocking wheel. and an adjustable stop carried by the locking lever inthe path of the line-space lever.

13. The combination. with a. rotary platen, and a line-space ratchetwheel connected to rotate therewith; of a line-space lever rotatableabout the platen axis; a. pawl on said lever to engage and rotate. saidratchet wheel; an impact member arranged to strike against and therebyactuate said lever, but normally out of contact with the same; operatingmeans for said impact member; a locking lever in the path of saidline-space lever to be actuated thereby; and means to form a lockingconnection between the platen and locking lever when the latter isactuated by the line-space lever.

14. The combination, with a rotary platen and a line-space ratchet wheelconnected to rotate therewith; of a linespaee lever rotatable about theplaten. axis and having a contact roller; a pawl on said lever to engageand rotate said ratchet wheel; an actuating member arranged to strikeagainst, said contact roller. to actuate said line-space, lever, butnormally out of contact with said contact roller; and operating meansfor said actuating member.

15. The combinatiomwith a rotary platen, and a line-space ratchet wheelconnected to rotate therewith: of a line-space lever; a. pawl ope atedby said line-space lever to engage and rotate said ratchet wheel; animpact member arranged to strike against and thereby actuate said linespace lever. but normally out of contact with the same; operating meansfor said impact member: and a locking lever for said platen adapted tobe struck. and thereby actuated, by said line space lever.

16. The combination, with a rotary platen and a line-space ratchet wheelconnected to rotate therewith: ot' a line-space lever; a pawl operatedby said line-space lever to engage and rotate said ratchet wheel: animpact member arranged to strike against and thereby actuate saidline-space lever, but normally out of contact with the same: operatingmeans for said impact member: and a locking lever for said platen havinga stop thereon arranged in the path of, and adapted to be struck by,said i inc-space lever during its movement, so as to enable saidline-space. lever to operate said locking lever. said stop beingadjustable to vary the point in said movement at which the strikingoccurs.

17. The combination, with a typewriting mechanism, including a carriageand a platen mounted on said carriage; of automatic mechanism acting toconcomitantly return the carriage and impart a single line-spacemovement to the platen: and separate automatic mechanism acting solelyto impart a multi-line-spacc movement to said platen.

18. The combination, with a platen: of line-spacing device for saidplaten comprising a line-space wheel connected to rotate therewith, anda lever for rotating said wheel; an intermittent. reciprocatory impactmember arranged above said lever and adapted to strike against andthereby actuate the same: an actuator for said impact member; andmaster-sheet mechanism for controlling said actuator.

19. The combination, with a platen; of a line-spacing device for saidplaten comprising aline-space wheel connected toro tatc therewith, and alever for rotating said wheel; an intermittent, reciprocat-ory impactmember arranged above said lever and adapted to strike against andthereby actu ate the same; a pneumatic actuator; a link iii connectionbetween said impact member and said actuator, for operating the formerupon the collapse of the latter; and master-sheet mechanism forcontrolling said actuator.

20. The combination, with a platen; of a line-spacing device for saidplaten, comprising a line-space wheel connected to rotate therewith, anda lever for rotating said wheel; a pivotally-mounted, depressible memberhawing a projection arranged to strike against and thereby actuate saidlever; an actuator for said impact member arranged beneath, andconnected with, the same; and master-sheet mechanism for controllingsaid actuator.

21. The combination, with a platen and its axle; of a pair of ratchetwheels connected to rotate with said platen and having oppositely-facingteeth; a rocking line-space lever pivotally mounted on said axle; a pawloperated by said line-space lever to engage and rotate one of saidratchet wheels; and a locking lever having a detent to engage the otherratchet wheel, and also having a portion projecting into the path of thelinespace lever to be struck thereby, to enable said line-space lever tooperate said looking lever during its movement.

22. The combination, with a platen and its axle; of a pair of ratchetwheels connected to rotate with said platen and having oppositely-facingteeth; a rocking linespace lever pivotally mounted on said axle; a pawloperated by said line-space lever to engage and rotate one of saidratchet wheels; a locking lever having a detent to engage the otherratchet wheel; and a stop carried by said locking lever and projectinginto the path of the line-space lever, to be struck by the latter duringits movement, so as to enable said line-space lever to operate saidlocking lever during its more ment, said stop beingadjustable to varythe point in said movement at which the striking occurs.

LYMAN R. ROBERTS.

\Vitnesses: Y

'PiTUs H. IRONS, J. F. BROPHY.

Gopleo of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Wolhington. D. G."

